GREAT FALLS — Many Montanans can finally treat themselves to some much-needed grooming after a month without nail and hair-care services due to COVID-19 restrictions and closures
Nail Club in Great Falls has taken extra precautions to keep customers safe as part of their Phase 1 reopening plan.
Owner Tammy Nguyen said she and her staff have always taken measures to sanitize their tools and surfaces, but have implemented more in light of COVID-19.
“We always disinfect and sterilize our tools and equipment. and we wipe down all the furniture, the nail station, the spa chair. We disinfect them after each client, and we make sure that we keep a safe 6 feet distance as much as possible,” Nguyen said.
While the salon uses social distancing markers to keep customers apart from each other, they have to break the six-feet-apart rules when providing services for their clients.
“Of course, we can't keep a six feet distance while we have to do people’s nails. “We have a safety in between us and the clients,” Nguyen said.
In addition to wearing protective gloves and a mask while working with clients, each manicurist works at a table equipped with a clear safety shield to serve as a barrier between customers and employees.
“It’s a little bit weird talking to my clients through a glass shield but...I want them to feel safe when they come here and I want the people who work here to feel safe,” Nguyen said.
Customers are also required to follow a few other additional guidelines when inside the facility: Temperature check, hand washing, hand disinfecting with alkaline acid water, and wearing a disposable mask provided by the salon.
“We are doing our best to keep everybody safe here. So when you come in here, we’ll measure your temperature, and then we’ll have you go wash your hands. And then after that, we will disinfect your hands again with our PH 2.5 Kenya water,” Nguen said.
Nguyen believes these steps will best serve her clients and staff, “I hope everyone understands that I'm trying to keep everybody safe,” Nguyen said.
She hopes her customers will remember to follow these safety measures while doing so, "I think mentally it’s good for people to feel good for them to have their nails done. So, I think they can have their nails done. However, you need to be careful,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen said she’s very appreciative of her community’s helping hands during this time.
“I’m grateful to be living here in Great falls right now, and thank you, everybody, for your love, your support, and your understanding,” Nguyen said.
Nail Club is located at 1301 11th Avenue South. The salon is not currently taking walk-ins and will be taking customers on an appointment basis only.
It should be noted that nail and hair salons remain closed in Missoula County until further notice due to stricter local reopening guidelines.
